


The Privilla

by Gates_of_Ember



Series: PJO Arranged Marriage/Royalty AU [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: 18th Century, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Royalty, M/M, Slow Burn, Three Days in the Infirmary (Percy Jackson), and not in an infirmary, but in an AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-23
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-18 20:56:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11882661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gates_of_Ember/pseuds/Gates_of_Ember
Summary: Almost ten years after their first introduction, Will and Prince Nico meet again.  But this time, they are no longer children.  Will, the illegitimate third son of Duke Apollo, has had a few prospective suitors, but none of the offers have been as lucrative as his family has hoped.  Prince Nico has had his fair share of suitors, as well; with the pressure of being heir to the throne of a kingdom in economic turmoil, Nico is expected to marry for profit and security.  However, his icy personality has driven many impatient suitors away.  The two young men may prove to be exactly what the other needs.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AND IT'S HERE  
> I'm back at school and I'm going to be busier, so I won't make any promises as to how fast I'll update. This particular fic should come out fairly quickly, though. The chapters will be short and sweet, which means faster updates!  
> If you’re new to the series, it’s probably ok to start with this fic.
> 
>  
> 
> [Here's a link to the AU guide if you need a refresher!](http://gatesofember.tumblr.com/post/163966365954/solangelo-arranged-marriage-au-guide)

“I must say I am pleased with your recommendation for my son’s advisor,” King Hades said while he and Artemis watched Nico measure out his powder before pouring it into the muzzle of his rifle.  “It has been years, but I must say that I am still indebted to you for suggesting her, Your Divinity.”

“Reyna is a fine soror,” Artemis agreed, leisurely taking a sip of wine from the selection Hades had ordered to be brought out for her to taste before she selected one to be served at dinner.  She was currently enjoying a wine with a delicate smell and color, but a bold, acidic, earthy flavor.  “I thought she would get along with His Highness.  Her sister would have, too, but I thought it better to suggest someone closer to the prince’s age.”

“Indeed,” Hades said.  “It is good to see Nico with someone so often.  You know how he can behave.”

Artemis nodded quietly as she watched Nico raise his rifle to aim at the target across the green.  Reyna was standing off to the side with her own rifle, a standard Sorority model, while Nico had acquired one of the new rifles from Vulcan that summer.  Hades had mentioned that Nico and Reyna spent a great deal of their leisure time practicing on the grounds of the palace, and it showed.  Nico was becoming quite a skilled shot.

Artemis and Hades were seated to the side, a safe distance away from the rifles, testing wines under a tent that had been set up for shade.  Thalia, the captain of Artemis’ guard, was standing not far behind them; although Artemis had given her permission to practice shooting with the prince and Reyna, Thalia had declined, insisting that she would stay with Artemis.

 _“We are in the company of friends, Lady Thalia,”_ Artemis had said.   _“What do you plan to protect me from?”_

 _“Forgive my paranoia, Your Divinity,”_ Thalia had answered. _“But wherever there are guns and alcohol, there is always danger.”_

So, instead, Thalia stood by Artemis, not drinking or shooting for sport.  It was easy to forget that Thalia had once been the crown princess of the Juvian Empire.  She still carried the confidence of royalty, but she had a rough, rebellious air about her that gave her the might of a warrior, and her devotion to Artemis made her the perfect captain.  She was usually a fun-loving girl, but she took her duty as a guard quite seriously.  Artemis wished that Thalia would enjoy herself at some point that afternoon.  It was a pleasant day; sunnier than average for Pluto, with a soft breeze reminding them that they were getting deeper into autumn.  

Artemis briefly wondered how Will was faring in Venadica; her nephew had such a low tolerance for cold.  She knew that he had hoped to return to Diana before the end of the season.

 _“When will you return?”_ Will had asked when Artemis announced that she would be visiting Divitia to see the King.  He had planned to be home in time to celebrate Chronalia at the end of the harvest, and Artemis had intended to travel with him.  Will always fled from Venatica before winter; as much as he despised carriage travel, he feared Pluton winters more.

 _“I suspect I will only be gone three weeks,”_ Artemis had replied.  She intended to be in Ceres for the Chronalia festival. Diana bordered Ceres to the east and Artemis intended to travel there for a visit before turning back to Ceres to celebrate the harvest. _“Worry not, dear nephew.  I would not leave you to make the journey on your own.”_

Artemis raised her glass to her lips again and took another sip of wine.  “Your wife keeps a wonderful vineyard,” Artemis remarked.  “You said this is one she has financed in the hill country?”

“Yes,” Hades replied proudly.  “The hobby makes her happy, and I am glad to reap the benefits of her investments.”

“I dare say that the gardens are even more beautiful now than they were when I last visited,” Artemis mentioned.  She was cut off by the the thunderous blast of Nico’s rifle and looked up in time to see him make the shot just outside the target.  “And I dare say he has gotten more skilled, as well.”

“Yes,” Hades agreed slowly.  “He certainly has a specific skill set.”

Artemis quirked an eyebrow at Hades’ tone.  He did not sound entirely pleased with the prince.  Artemis was aware that the two of them had trouble getting along ever since they lost the eldest princess, and although it seemed to be getting better with time, Nico and Hades occasionally had their spats.

“Is there any way I can assist you, Your Majesty?” she asked.

Hades sighed.  “I am afraid not,” the King said.  “I am worried for my son, Your Divinity.  He has yet to keep a suitor for longer than a day and I worry that we will be unable to find him a husband.  He refuses to take a wife, so if he does not carry on the family line, it is of utmost importance that he marry a man with a good name and status.”

Artemis nodded in understanding.  Marriages between men and women were more common than marriages between two men or two women simply because such a marriage could not result in children.  Same-sex marriages, however, were not uncommon, and the main purposes of that type of marriage were economic and political; a same-sex marriage had more short-term benefits, while an opposite-sex marriage had more future benefits.  The type of marriage one had relied on both personal preference and the needs of the family.  As long as the family line could be continued another way, same-sex marriages were perfectly viable and, in some cases, suited the family better than an opposite-sex marriage.

Some of Artemis’ scholars had found that a statistically insignificant but notably larger percentage of consors and knights had same-sex marriages as compared to non-consors and unknighted people.  Her research team believed this was because consors and knights could not pass on their titles and authority to their children, so the traits they had to offer in a bond were more valuable in same-sex marriages.

“My daughter will take care of the issue of progeny,” Hades continued.  “She is still very young, so that is not my main concern.  A husband may be better suited for Nico; it is true that his irksome personality has somewhat soiled his reputation in Pluto, and therefore he requires a man of great character to turn the common folk in his favor.  I have invited many eligible young men in the hopes that Nico might deem one fitting, but he has turned down every one of them.  In the words of his would-be suitors, he is ‘aloof, rude, proud, silent, and aggressive.’  His status may loan him some distinguished eligibility as a bachelor, but it seems that it is not enough to pardon his disposition.  Nico doesn’t bother to attempt to get along with them; he finds faults to pick at in each man we attempt to convince him to court.  ‘He bored me,’ he’ll say.  Or, ‘while his face was pleasant, it did not distract from his devastating lack of intellect.’  Or even, ‘I disliked the shape of his nose.’  I am at a loss, Your Divinity.  Nico has had trouble interacting with others ever since...well.  You remember what happened.  The Council is becoming restless.  Nico needs to choose a fiancé to guarantee he will bring stability to Pluto.  Years have passed, and we are still recovering from the tragedy of the Scarlet Delirium.  Nico’s reputation among the people does not lend assistance to the matter.”

“The prince is still young,” Artemis offered.  “He cannot marry for years, as it is.”

“Yes, I know,” Hades replied.  “But betrothals are very long, complex processes.  You know this, Your Divinity.  And the fact that he has not made any serious progress is worrying.”

“You are correct,” Artemis agreed.  “I can understand why you are concerned.  If I may be so bold, I have a nephew in Jupiter who is the same age as the prince.  He has had offers, but no serious attempt at engagement.  I am quite fond of this nephew.  He is in good health, consistently kind and courteous, and has a great interest in and talent for healing that may provide useful to you.  Apollo is quite wealthy and could offer a remarkable dowry.”

Hades drummed his finger on the gold rim of his glass.  “And this nephew’s name?” Hades asked.

“William,” Artemis answered.

The King frowned.  “William.  But I seem to remember that the circumstances of his birth were...unfortunate.”

Artemis raised an eyebrow.  “Need I remind you that Nico was the same?”

Hades looked displeased.  He never liked being reminded of his own children’s illegitimacy – it was a well-kept royal secret.  Artemis was one of the few people who was privy to the fact that Hades’ children were natural-born, as she had been present for the delivery.  “Nico and his sisters are a different case.”

“Not so different.”

“Your Divinity, with all due respect, I am not sure that William’s status is comparable to Nico’s.  The benefits of such a marriage....”

“Would include stronger ties with one of the wealthiest states in Jupiter,” Artemis said, boldly interrupting the King.  Her authority was, after all, superior to his, and she wasn’t afraid to use that to her advantage.  “You would gain a young, pleasant husband for your son and security in Pluto’s reconstruction.  Not to mention the ties you would gain with the Sorority through a royal marriage to my nephew.  William is a consor; he could prove quite valuable to you.  I think that you will be impressed with him.”  Artemis paused before adding, “I introduced the two of them when they were children, at my inauguration.  They had a very pleasant evening together.  My nephew still remembers that meeting quite fondly.  I believe that William would be a very patient, agreeable suitor.  It seems that he is exactly what the prince needs.”

Hades was quiet for a moment, tapping his chin in thought.  “I suppose it would not be amiss to arrange a meeting,” Hades said. “Will you send word to your brother?”

“Absolutely,” Artemis answered, storing away her delight so that she could celebrate later.  “I will send him a letter immediately.  My nephew is currently in Venadica.  When I hear back from my brother, I can arrange to bring my nephew here for an audience.”

Artemis hoped that Nico wasn’t as terrible a suitor as Hades had suggested; she had always thought Nico was a pleasant young man.  Nico had suffered so much already.  He was reserved and did not trust easily, so Artemis thought that perhaps Nico’s reputation as a bachelor was misattributed to his disposition.  However, Artemis knew that Nico was well-mannered, determined, intuitive, and spirited – all the qualities of an ideal husband.  Will deserved a good marriage, as well; all previous applicants to be his suitor had been rather unsatisfactory.  Will had much to offer Nico, as well: he was well-educated, rational, exceptionally intelligent, and he came from a wealthy family.  Besides that, Artemis thought the two of them would get along.  They were both passionate, talented young men.  Nico would never bore Will, who could rarely sit still for longer than a few minutes, and Will would bring Nico some much-needed serenity with his even-tempered character.

Later that day but before the evening meal, Artemis retired to her guest chambers to write a letter to her brother.  She had brought along her favorite pen during her visit to Divitia – a newer model with the metal-point tips that had recently been developed by a group of consors in Venadica.  It held ink well and wrote smoothly; Artemis found herself disappointed with other instruments after it was gifted to her, so she always travelled with it, as she constantly had letters to write and notes to make during her travels.

Artemis tapped the end of her pen to her chin in thought before starting her letter, wondering how best to ask for her brother’s permission.  It was, of course, unlikely that Apollo would refuse, but she could not act without consulting him.  In any case, she regretted being unable to ask in person to see her brother’s reaction.

 _My dear brother,_ she began.

_I write to you from Divitia, where I am paying my respects to the royal family, to bring you some potentially happy news.  I may have found a man for your dear son William to play the suitor for.  During a conversation with His Majesty, the King mentioned his son’s lack of success in finding a potential husband, and I mentioned your son’s name.  His Majesty has agreed to arrange a meeting, should you and your son agree to it._

_I regret that this meeting would interfere with the plans I had made with my nephew to travel to Diana before the end of autumn.  However, such an opportunity is, I think, worth that sacrifice._

_Should you agree, I would be honored to act as Will’s chaperone on his trip to Divitia, so I see little need for you to send Chiron far from your younger children for so long.  The prince has been a close acquaintance for many years and I am confident that should this arrangement prove successful, your son would be very well cared-for._

_I will return to Venadica in three weeks’ time and I hope to hear from you then.  Please send your reply to my estate at your earliest possible convenience.  If you have requests, questions, or concerns, I ask you to mention them in your answer._

_Your loving and devoted sister,_

_Artemis_

 

True to her word, Artemis and her guards journeyed home to Venadica later that month and was greeted by her sorors and consors.  William, her favorite nephew, and Hestia, her aide, were among them, of course, and they, along with Thalia, were the only ones to remain with Artemis after she dismissed the others.

“Will we return to Diana by the end of the week then, Your Divinity?” Will asked.

“A moment, nephew.”  Artemis turned to Hestia and asked, “Has there been word from my brother?”

“Yes, Your Divinity.”  Hestia filed through the papers in her satchel until she found a letter, and then she handed it to Artemis.

Artemis took the letter and waved for Will, Thalia, and Hestia to accompany her to her chambers.  She opened the seal as she walked and scanned over her brother’s words quickly.

 _My dearest and most divine sister,_ she read as they ascended the staircase.

_I cannot describe the surprise, gratitude, and delight I received upon reading your letter.  My William has received suitors before, but we have hoped for a better offer.  This possibility is beyond what I ever expected._

“Your Divinity–” Will started, but Artemis held up a hand to silence him as they made their way down the corridor to her private rooms.

“Patience, nephew,” she said, and continued to read.

_I have, of course, heard of His Highness’ reputation as a bachelor and rumors of an unpleasant disposition, but I have no way to confirm these utterances.  Although I admit to being wary, I trust your judgment, dear sister, and I know you have been an acquaintance of His Highness since he was a child.  If you believe he will be a good husband to my son in ways unrelated to his prestige, I offer my permission and my blessing for their meeting._

Artemis nodded to the sorors standing outside the entrance to her chambers and thanked them when they opened the doors and let her pass through.  Once inside, Artemis waved a gesture to Hestia, Thalia, and William to make themselves comfortable and took a seat behind the desk in the center of the room.  Thalia, of course, did not sit, instead choosing to stand beside the door.

_I regret that I will be unable to see you and my son for a while longer, but with the promise of such a future for dear Will, I will gladly wait.  Give my son my regards and best wishes, and assure him that we in Diana are thinking of him and hoping for the best._

_Again, my most humble thanks for granting my son this honor, Your Divinity.  I eagerly await further news and I pray that you accept my gratitude._

_Your grateful, happy, and loving brother,_

_Apollo, Duke of Diana_

Having finished, Artemis set the letter down on her desk, folded her hands on top of it, and looked at her nephew with a smile.

“Well, my dear Will,” she said.  “It appears we must change our plans.”

“Your Divinity?” Will asked with a confused frown.

“I regret to inform you that you may have to bear the Pluton weather a little longer this season,” Artemis said.  “And, perhaps, for many seasons to come.”

“I do not understand,” Will said.  “Are we not returning to Diana?”

“No, my nephew,” Artemis replied.  “There is some very important business we must attend to here in Pluto; with luck, I may have found you a husband.”

Will looked dumbfounded.  “A husband?” he repeated.  “Here in Pluto?”

“Yes, indeed.  I will accompany you to your first meeting and remain as a chaperone and adviser in Chiron’s place.  Does this please you?”

“Absolutely, Your Divinity,” Will said.  “This is unexpected and happy news.  May I ask his name?”

“Of course,” Artemis answered.  “In a few days time, I will be accompanying you to Divitia, where you will meet with His Royal Highness, Prince Nico, the Duke of Angelus, in the hopes of a possible engagement.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short one, but a quick update! I've got the chapters mostly all finished, so I can probably do daily updates for the rest of this section of the au.

William sat completely frozen for a several minutes before his mind caught up with his aunt’s words.

“Prince Nico, Duke of Angelus,” Will repeated slowly, like his mouth was having trouble shaping the words.  He remained silent for a moment before smiling at his aunt and saying, “You should not tease me, Your Divinity.”

“I am not,” the Matestra told him.  “I have spoken to the King and written to your father.  The Prince has also agreed to meet you.”

Will could feel his body starting to buzz with restless energy as the truth of Artemis’ words sank in.  He drummed his fingers on his knees to relieve some of his agitation, trying to calm his racing heart.  When he glanced at Hestia, his aunt’s aide, she looked vaguely surprised, but she did little more than raise an eyebrow and she gathered a pen and piece of parchment from her bag to take notes on the Matestra’s meeting.  Thalia, on the other hand, did not look surprised at all.  She caught Will’s eye and gave him a smirk.

Will could remember meeting the Prince in his childhood, and he would not lie and say that his younger self never entertained fantasies of meeting him again.  To his six-year-old mind, the Duke of Angelus had seemed perfect in every way; clever, well-groomed, lively, and popular among older children.  It had taken nearly two years for Will to stop blushing at the mere mention of the Prince.  Even then, at sixteen years of age, he often felt his heart stutter when he thought of Prince Nico.

But when his aunt had stated that, beyond Will’s most absurd hopes and unrealistic fantasies, he had been granted a meeting with the Prince in the hopes of securing an engagement, he felt like he was six years old again, speechlessly sitting with Nico in Aether’s Square and listening as the Prince entertained him with stories.

Will was not quite marriageable age, but he had been old enough to see suitors for about a year.  Nico, as a member of a royal family, would have started earlier.  He had likely entertained more suitors than Will by that point, and they certainly would have been more respectable candidates than Will.  As a natural-born child, most of Will’s offers had been considerably older than him and fairly low in status—mostly earls and countesses, and he had entertained a knight for a while before she turned her attentions to a marquess in Mars.  Will was fully aware that he was not a desirable suitor.  He would never inherit his father’s duchy, and his best hope for his future was to inherit a small county in Diana—although Will preferred the idea of remaining in Venadica as a consor, or perhaps moving back to Diana to enter the service of one of his older brothers.  It was simply insensible for Will to marry a prince — a _crown_ prince, at that.

“I...I am not sure that is entirely appropriate, your divinity,” Will stuttered. “His Highness is...well, he is heir to the Pluton throne, but I have very little to offer.”

“Your father can offer a substantial dowry,” Artemis replied.

“But surely I am unqualified—”

“You are more valuable than you think, Will,” Artemis said.  “Your father’s wealth makes you an attractive suitor, for one thing, and for another, you are a _consor,_ which, I daresay, is exactly what the royal family needs.”

“But surely His Highness would prefer a wife,” Will objected.  Same sex-marriages tended to be less common in royal families because the conception of heirs was so important for succession.

“The Prince has no interest in taking a wife,” Artemis replied.  “Simply as a matter of personal preference, he has stated that he would marry a husband.  I am aware that it seems to be an unlikely pairing, but consider, William.  Think of what you have learned in your theories of government lessons.  What sorts of problems has the kingdom of Pluto faced this past decade?”

“The disease, of course,” Will answered, sparing another glance at Hestia, who was watching with silent interest.  “The Scarlet Delirium.”  Will had been starting his training in Venadica when the Scarlet Delirium was at its worst, training under the consor Asclepius, who was the leading authority on medicine in the City of Enlightenment.  The disease, for the most part, did not spread from Pluto, as Artemis’ scientists had the foresight to recommend that all transportation to and from the kingdom be restricted.  However, the effects had been devastating.  

Shortly after Artemis’ inauguration as Matestra, the Crown Princess of Pluto, Bianca, had fallen ill with the Scarlet Delirium.  Will recalled being outside the room where she spent the last days of her life.  Shortly after she contracted the disease, the King had ordered her to be sent to Venadica, where the best minds in the world were researching the disease in a desperate attempt to find a cure.  The Princess had not survived.  However, before the feverish delirium hit her in the third stage of the disease, the Princess had requested that she might see Artemis and take the Soror’s Oath, thereby relinquishing her place in the line of succession and making her brother heir to the throne of Pluto.  

Will recalled wishing he could see the Prince and help him in any way possible, but Nico had been far away in the Pluton countryside, where he was safe from the contagion.  Bianca had been without kin, out of her mind, and paralyzed in her last moments—only Artemis had remained with the Princess until she drew her last breath.

The loss of the Princess had devastated Pluto.  She had been popular among the people—clever and pretty, with the promise of one day making a fine queen.  With the heir to the throne gone, disease slaughtering Plutons in every town, and no way of engaging in trade with Jupiter or Neptune, the once-famed wealth of Pluto had been exhausted.  A consistently functional cure to Scarlet Delirium had never been discovered, but research had found that sanitation minimized the spread of disease, and it was contained until it became all but extinct.

What Pluto needed, more than anything else, was stability.  The Prince would need to marry someone wealthy who could bring relief to the kingdom quickly.  Diana, Will’s father’s duchy, was among the wealthiest in Jupiter.  Will could see the logic in forming a marriage bond.  As a consor, Will would also be able to provide advice to the royal family and its courts in Pluto’s time of need.

“The economy,” Will said, looking up at his aunt.  “My dowry could pay for some elements of reconstruction, and ties with Diana would open opportunities for trade with southern Jupiter.”

“Excellent work, Will,” Artemis answered.  “And do not underestimate the importance of morale.  Faith in the royal family has been low ever since the death of the Princess.  I suspect that the addition of a consor—a consor primarily studying _medicine,_ at that—would greatly boost the people’s confidence, as well as their opinion of the Prince.”

Will nodded.  He didn’t understand why there seemed to be so many negative opinions of the Prince throughout Pluto, and he could only assume that it was the result of bitterness at the loss of Princess Bianca.  He did not fully believe that Nico’s character was to blame; Artemis liked the Prince, after all, and Hestia had attested to his kindness, as well.  Still, the idea of attempting to court the Prince was terrifying, for many reasons.  He could be wrong; perhaps the Prince was as cold as the rumors said.  Perhaps the Prince would reject him without bothering to give him a chance.  Perhaps if Will married the Prince, he would be unable to see his family again.

“I...I still am not sure that I would suit His Highness,” Will said uncertainly.

“It is one meeting, Will,” Artemis replied.  “If the Prince believes you to be a suitable partner, I have no doubt that the King will agree to enter in discussions of an arrangement.  All that is left is for you to woo His Highness.  You got along well the first time, did you not?”

Will flushed at his aunt’s reference to his first meeting with the Prince and looked at his feet when he caught Hestia and Thalia giving him sly smiles.  Yes, he had enjoyed himself immensely that evening; he had been enamored by His Highness.  For a long time, there was little that Will wouldn’t do for a chance to meet Prince Nico again.  Now, however, Will hesitated—not because he did not want to see the Prince, but because he was afraid.

But then, he’d been afraid the first time, too.

“I shall do my best, your divinity,” Will said.  “I do not know how you were able to arrange this meeting, but I am indebted to you.  And before we depart, I believe I require lessons on dancing the minuet and a partner to practice Acies with.”


	3. Chapter 3

“I do not believe this one will be as terrible as you fear,” Reyna said from the other side of the privacy screen.  “Her Divinity arranged it.  She would not send you an unlikable suitor.”

 _That is because_ I _am the unlikable one,_ Nico thought as he raised his chin so that his manservant, Jules-Albert, could tie his jabot.

Nico had agreed to this meeting despite his reluctance mostly because it was Artemis who had asked.  They’d had their disagreements in the past, but Nico trusted her and had no desire to disappoint her.

 _“My father has spoken to me of the meeting with your nephew,”_ Nico recalled saying over a game of Acies before Artemis left Divitia.   _“I must ask if you are aware of my current record as a suitor, Your Divinity.  Previous meetings have not gone well and should this meeting go awry....”_

Artemis had smiled encouragingly.   _“Worry not, Your Highness.  It will not affect our relationship.”_

_“But you are willing to offer your nephew as a suitor despite my...my....”_

_“Your Highness, I have known you since you wore children’s gowns.  You and my nephew are both fine young men.  If the meeting does not go as hoped, you will part amicably.  I have faith in you, Your Highness.”_

Nico had not felt reassured.   _“I do not want you to hope too much, Your Divinity.  I would hate to disappoint you.  If your nephew were to be unhappy with me–”_

 _“Nico,”_ Artemis had said plainly, disposing of the pleasantries.  Nico was alarmed by the sudden change in address, but he did not take offense. _“You will not disappoint me.  You are as dear to me as kin.  My nephew is a patient, kind-hearted man and I believe you will enjoy his friendship, but if I am wrong, then I will leave it be.  In any case, you have already met him.”_

 _“Have I?”_ Nico had asked with a frown, trying to remember. _“I do not recall.”_

 _“You were but six years of age,”_ Artemis had answered.   _“It was the evening of my inauguration.  I made the introductions and you became friends in an instant.”_

Nico had stared at the figurines on the board in thought, but he had been unable to recall. _“I apologize.  I do not remember.”_

 _“That does not matter,”_ Artemis had said.   _“You were friends then and I believe you can be now.”_

Nico had avoided Artemis’ eyes.  If he’d met her nephew at the Sororal Inauguration, Bianca would have still been alive.  It had been before he lost her, before those lonely, nightmarish years on the countryside....

 _“There have been many changes since then,”_ he’d replied.

 _“Yes,”_ Artemis had agreed. _“But, perhaps, not too many.”_

Nico shook away his thoughts as Jules-Albert brushed off his coat and breeches.  “He is expected to arrive late this morning, correct?” he asked.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Reyna answered.  “He will be here in time for the mid-day meal.”

“And my father and I will entertain Her Divinity and Lord William outside in the cypress grove?”

“That is correct.  The Queen and the Princess will take their meal in the Queen’s antechamber today to leave the four of you to your discussions.  Following that, you will invite Lord William for a walk in the Queen’s garden.”

Nico sighed and nodded as he stepped out from behind the partition and went to sit on the lounge chair at the foot of his bed.  Jules-Albert offered Nico a pair of shoes, and when Nico nodded his assent, he knelt to put them on Nico’s feet.

“And you _will_ offer him your arm,” Reyna said.  “You _will_ smile at him.  You _will_ be polite.”

Nico squashed his desire to retort and merely nodded.  This time, he would play the role of a good suitor – at least for the Matestra.  Besides, he needed to find a husband, and he hoped that this attempt wouldn’t be as disastrous as the others.  “And then my father and I will remain with them in the Privilla for the three days of their stay?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Reyna confirmed.

Nico was glad.  The grounds of the royal palace contained many estates like the Privilla built by generations of Pluton sovereign.  Although Nico had stayed in many of them in his childhood, the royal family had mostly remained within the main residence, the Palatium de Divitae, since the Scarlet Delirium and the downfall of Pluto’s once-wealthy economy.  While the Palatium de Divitae and its surrounding estates had once housed many nobles, the fashionable days of the Pluton court had passed and the palace now was home to only the royal family and a select group of courtiers.  Nico barely remembered his once-opulent lifestyle; he had been so young when he’d been sent to live on the countryside during the worst parts of the contagion’s rampage.  Still, he enjoyed the occasional excuses the royal family found to indulge in the lavish pleasantries that used to define the court.

When Jules-Albert finished polishing Nico’s shoes, Nico rose to his feet and nodded to Reyna.  “I assume the estate has been prepared?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“And the necessary items from my wardrobe?”

“Taken care of, Your Highness.”

“And Asterion?”

“He will be at the Privilla, Your Highness.”

“Good.”  Nico left the bedroom for the drawing room next door.  Hazel’s room also connected to the drawing room, and they had a series of studies that they used for various purposes, like Hazel’s artwork or Nico’s Acies board.  Hazel, upon Nico’s inspection of the chambers, appeared to be in her painting room.  Although they hadn’t always gotten along, Nico was fond of his little sister.  She turned and called out a good morning to him when she heard him leave his bedroom, and Nico greeted her in return.  At only eight years of age, she was already a fine painter.  She had gifted several of her works to Nico and he had them hung in his bedroom or studies.

“Tell me about the Matestra’s nephew again, Lady Reyna,” Nico said as he sat down in the drawing room.

“He is a consor,” Reyna began, taking a seat when Nico gestured for her to do so.  “He has been studying in Venadica since he was Hazel’s age, perhaps younger.  He is your age now, and is the third child of Duke Apollo of Diana – illegitimate.  His mother was a singer and Apollo’s mistress for a time.”

Nico chose not to dwell on the topic of Will’s illegitimacy.  It was not uncommon for nobles in Jupiter or Neptune to have lovers aside from their spouses, but such things were considered unacceptable in Pluto.  The thought made Nico feel uncomfortable, even though Nico was illegitimate himself.  The nature of his birth was very secret; not even Hazel knew, nor had Bianca.   _Nico_ shouldn’t have known.

“Have you met him?” Nico asked.  As a soror, Reyna had been trained in Venadica, as well.

“I have,” Reyna replied.  “Only once or twice and it has been a very long time, but I do recall that he was pleasant company.  In any case, he has studied medicine under Asclepius himself and he practices when he returns to Diana in the winter.  He has had no serious suitors as of yet, but his family has been searching.  And he is extremely wealthy.”

Nico nodded.  A wealthy husband was, in all honesty, exactly what he needed.  He’d even tried courting the son of a wealthy merchant, despite his lack of a title – of course, that arrangement had fallen through quickly.  The boy had been completely unrefined, so Nico sent him on his way.  Nico probably could have done so more politely, but what was done was done.

“What topics of conversation do you recommend?” Nico asked, for conversation was not something he had any remarkable skill in.  He was receiving oratory lessons from Reyna, so he wasn’t as miserable as he once had been, but he still lacked some basic understanding of one-on-one communication.

“You might ask about his family or his studies.  It is most important, Your Highness, that you are responsive when he speaks to you.  You have an unfortunate habit of acting uninterested and indifferent around potential suitors, but in this case, you must remember to be more companionable.”

Nico heard Hazel giggle in her painting room, and, although he was irritated, he ignored her.  “I will behave cordially,” he muttered.  Reyna was not uncomfortable scolding Nico; she could be quite harsh with him.  Still, he considered Reyna trustworthy, and perhaps even a good friend.

Nico spent most of the morning pacing while Hazel painted in her studio and Reyna read in the drawing room.  He picked at the cold cuts Jules-Albert brought for their meal and drank a few sips of tea, but his unease persisted.  He hated being introduced to suitors, mainly because he knew he’d fail before they even arrived.  Nico wasn’t easy to like.  He wasn’t even tolerable enough to be someone’s husband.

“Your Highness,” Reyna said, causing Nico to jolt in surprise.  “Pacing will accomplish little more than wear in the flooring.”

“Then what do you suggest I do with my restlessness, Lady Reyna?” Nico snapped.  Reyna raised an eyebrow at his tone, which only served to irritate Nico further.  He huffed and stormed over to sit across from his adviser.  “How much longer do I have to wait?”

“Not long,” Reyna replied, setting her book aside to give Nico her attention.  “I suspect we will be called to greet them soon.”

Nico rubbed his palms on his breeches and asked, “Do you think this coat will do?”

“It is a very fine coat, Your Highness.”

“Good,” Nico mumbled.  “It’s not too plain?”

Reyna sighed.  “Your Highness, the trim is silver with sapphires.  I do not think it is plain.”

“I don’t want him to know exactly how desperate my family is for his dowry,” Nico said defensively.  “You will stay with me, correct?”

“I will be present, should you need me.”

“And you won’t leave me alone with him?”

Reyna looked at Nico disapprovingly.  “I will remain an appropriate distance away from you and Lord William.”

“But what if I–”

“If you are to marry him, you must be able to hold a conversation with him in private.”

Nico let out a breath of disappointment.  “This will go horribly,” he muttered.

“Your Highness, all you are required to do is be polite.  Smile at him, nod, and answer his questions.  And I beg you, do _not_ tell him that he has the face of a toad.”

“I only did that once, and he highly exaggerated my phrasing,” Nico scowled.  “Besides, he _did_ look like a toad.”

Reyna gave him a stern look.  “And if Lord William looks like a toad, what will you do?”

“I will not call him a toad,” Nico answered begrudgingly.  “Unless, of course, the similarities are remarkable, then I do not think it would be out of place to–”

 _“Your Highness,”_ Reyna cut in sharply.  “Sometimes, I almost believe that you _purposely_ sabotage your meetings with potential suitors.  You will _not_ make fun of Lord William’s face, or his voice, or his laugh, or his personality, or his intelligence, or any peculiar gestures that he might have the habit of making.”

Nico crossed his arms irritably.  “Very well, then; I simply won’t speak at all.”

“If that is what you must do, then so be it,” Reyna snapped back.  That said, she picked back up her book and started to read again, making it clear that she no longer had any interest in speaking to Nico.  Nico knew he ought to reprimand her for using such a tone, but he didn’t feel up to it.  Reyna was right, as usual.

It wasn’t long after that they were summoned to the Hall of Gold to greet their visitors.  The hall was a large, open area at the front of the palace that opened to the city outside.  Nico recalled balls being held there when he was younger and the court was wealthy and fashionable.  Although the room was still magnificent, it had fallen into disuse over the years.

Nico’s parents, King Hades and his Queen Consort, Persephone, along with his younger sister were present as the Matestra’s carriage arrived outside the palace.  The doors to the Hall of Gold were held open and the royal family stood at the entrance, watching as the guests exited the carriage.  

The Matestra came first.  Artemis was followed by the captain of her guard, Lady Thalia, and her aide, Lady Hestia.  Nico had seen Lady Thalia during the Matestra’s last visit, but he had not spoken to her.  He tried to avoid conversation with Thalia whenever possible; she made him think of Bianca too much.  Lady Hestia, however, Nico was fond of.  They had known each other a long time, even before she was hired as Artemis’ aide.  Hestia was always calm and polite, and something about her always made Nico feel soothed.  He hoped he would get the chance to talk to her while she was there; she had not been with the Matestra on her previous visit.

And then Lord William exited the carriage.

Nico did not remember the first time he had met Lord William, so he only was able to predict his appearance based on what he had been told by Reyna and Artemis.  He had known that his suitor would be blond and tan-skinned with blue eyes and have an average height and build.  As William approached with his aunt, Nico was glad to see that he did not look like a toad, but beyond that, Nico saw nothing noteworthy about him.  He had nice features without being irresistibly handsome, which Nico supposed was a good thing; if William had been too handsome, Nico was not sure that he would ever be able to look his suitor in the face without making a fool of himself.  William was not unpleasant to look at, however, and Nico found himself pleased with his appearance.

Pleasantries were exchanged when Artemis and William reached them, but Nico paid them little heed, instead examining William with interest, as though he might be able to discern more from his character by the intensity of his gaze.  Will looked back at him and smiled, which Nico supposed was nice, before lowering his eyes meekly.

Nico was snapped into paying attention when Will bowed to him and said, “It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness,” having apparently been introduced.

“You as well,” Nico said, and even though he tried to put an air of friendliness into his voice, his tone remained flat.

When Hades led the guests into the Hall of Gold, Nico fell in step beside William and examined him from the corner of his eye.  He had a good, strong posture, which Nico supposed he approved of, and his gait was acceptable.  His coat was nice, too; pale blue with gold embroidery and very fine buttons.  It was obviously well-made and expensive – a testament to his family’s wealth.  William’s hair was tied back, but rather untamed, which Nico supposed was excusable.

After directing Artemis’ servants to the Privilla, Hades, Artemis, Nico, and Will took their lunch outside in the cypress grove – a meal of venison and fruit from Persephone’s orchards.  Nico allowed Artemis and his father to control the conversation, instead busying himself with scrutinizing Will’s dining etiquette.  It was passable; he was obviously well-educated on the matter.  When Artemis asked him a question, Nico realized that he had been paying his suitor far too much attention and turned to focus on the conversation and the meal.

Nico felt something stroke up his ankle and he almost jolted in surprise.  He managed to keep his composure and fought the urge to peer under the table.  When it happened again, though, he looked up at Will, who was sitting across from him, and realized that the thing hitting his ankle was most definitely the toe of a shoe.  Will, however, made no movement to suggest he’d done it on purpose, so Nico let it slide.  Surely it had only been a mistake.  Will wasn’t trying to....

But Nico felt the shoe on his ankle again.  That time, when he looked up, Will offered a shy, guilty smile.  Nico didn’t smile back, so Will looked away again, his expression crestfallen.

Had he given Will the impression that he disliked it?  Nico always had trouble with suitors, in part because he was never able to seem friendly.  But this particular meeting was important; Artemis herself had arranged it and Will’s family’s wealth could prove invaluable to Nico.  Had he scared Will off?  Nico had only been surprised.  Will seemed like a pleasant young man.  Nico didn’t want to ruin their first meeting by being unfriendly as he had with so many of his previous suitors.  He hoped Will would look back so that he could try to smile for him.

When Will didn’t, Nico impulsively stuck out his foot and ran his toe over Will’s ankle just as Will had done to him.  Will looked at him, surprise written plainly across his face, and Nico smiled nervously.  Will smiled back.

When the meal was over, Nico had forgotten about his directions to invite Will for a walk until he heard Reyna, who was standing to the side of the grove with the servants, clear her throat loudly.  Nico reluctantly rose to his feet and looked at William, and although he tried to appear friendly, he was sure his face was as cold as usual.  “Lord William,” he said, keeping his nervousness carefully hidden.  “I wonder if you would join me for a walk in the gardens.”

“I would be honored, Your Highness,” William said, standing up from his chair.

Nico started to lead him towards the gardens when Reyna cleared her throat again and Nico turned his head to look at her.  She discreetly patted her elbow as a reminder for Nico to offer Will his arm.  Nico gave her a petulant look, having hoped that she’d forgotten about that bit, but Reyna merely patted her elbow with more force and frowned at him sternly.  Nico nodded sulkily, having absolutely no desire to engage in any kind of physical contact.  Nico did not like to touch and he did not like to be touched.  It was, he supposed, one of the many things that made him such an undesirable suitor.

Nico swallowed his discomfort and was about to hold out his arm, but when he turned to William, he found that William had already offered his.  He hesitated in surprise for a moment before taking it, but stayed a respectable distance away as he walked William towards the gardens.

William cleared his throat, which irritated Nico, who had heard enough cleared throats for one day.  “These gardens, as I understand, are designed by Her Majesty?” he asked.

“Oh...uh...yes,” Nico stumbled, unprepared to speak just yet.  “My mother takes pride in the grounds of the palace.  She made it her project when she married my father.”  Nico internally applauded himself for his quick answer, but soon after, it became silent between them again.  He led Will through the flowers in silence, his eyes darting around in the hopes that something might jump out and distract William from Nico’s awkwardness and discomfort.  His hand felt sweaty on Will’s elbow and Nico wanted to take it back, but he resisted.  

“The grounds are quite beautiful,” William said suddenly.  “My compliments to Her Majesty.”

“Thank you,” Nico answered.  “She loves to hear that her gardens are enjoyed.”  After a moment’s hesitation, he added, “You will see the gardens around the Privilla tomorrow.  They are quite beautiful there, as well.  Do you like gardens?”

“I do, Your Highness,” Will answered.  “The grounds at my father’s estate are lovely.  I enjoy reading there when the weather is nice.”

“Then you like to read?”

“Oh, yes.  Mostly I read for my studies, but I read for amusement, as well.”

“Tell me about your studies,” Nico said, recalling that Will was a consor studying medicine.  He could likely talk about his schooling for hours, and then Nico would not have to speak for quite a while.

“I am currently doing research on plant cells for the purpose of utilizing their medical properties,” Will said.  “I find it quite interesting, but my brothers and sister tell me that it is boring.  When I first started, I considered becoming a tutor and my studies were in a more general field, and then I decided that I would rather heal.  I have been a consor since I was seven; not long after I first met you, Your Highness.”  William suddenly faltered.  “I...I mean, since my aunt’s inauguration.  We were introduced.”

“I have been told,” Nico said.  “You must forgive me; I have no memory of the meeting, but I have heard about it.”

William looked disappointed for a moment, but then he smiled.  “It was long ago, Your Highness.  Although it is a happy memory for me.”

Nico opened his mouth to speak, then promptly shut it and turned his head to face forward, focusing on the stone path and white flowers in front of them rather than on his confusion.  He wasn’t sure how it could be such a happy memory for William.  Perhaps he was referring to the inauguration itself rather than his meeting with Nico.  That seemed more sensible.  Of course the memory of his aunt becoming the Matestra was important for him.

Another silence fell between them, but this time, Nico was less desperate to fill it.  He didn’t mind the silence; he only hoped that William didn’t mind it, either.  William, however, proved difficult to read.  He smiled at Nico whenever Nico turned to look at him, which Nico didn’t quite understand.  Why would he _smile_ so much?

At least, Nico thought, the meeting was not off to a disastrous start.  William was polite.  He didn’t seem to be fed up with Nico yet.  Perhaps if Nico could keep himself from being too horrible a suitor, he would be tolerable enough for William to marry, and then when William tired of him, it wouldn’t matter anymore.


	4. Chapter 4

“I am frozen, Your Divinity.  I am frozen to my toes.”

Will’s aunt clucked her tongue and turned a page of the book she was reading.  “Oh, hush, William.”

“Send His Highness my regards, for I do not think I will ever thaw enough to move again.  I shall remain here as a frozen block of ice for Aeon’s eternity, and His Majesty will use my body for a convenient decoration in the garden.”

Artemis sighed with a resigned smile.  “You are so like your father.”

Will sat in his dressing gown upon a chair in the drawing room, his knees against his chest and a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.  He had spent the better part of his walk with Nico trying not to shiver and imagining the Diana heat to warm himself.  Nico’s body beside his had been warm and Will had wanted to stand more closely, but that wouldn’t have been appropriate.

Well.  Will had also had wanted to stand closer to Nico because Nico was beautiful.

Will had spent the journey to Divitia in Artemis’ carriage, along with Artemis, Thalia, and Hestia, who provided advice and reassurance on the way.  Having met the Prince, Hestia told Will she was fond of Nico.   _“He has always treated me kindly,”_ she had said.   _“He speaks to me with politeness and respect.”_

Thalia had known Nico when they were children, having been introduced as Jupiter’s Princess.   _“It has been a long time,”_ she had told Will.   _“Truth be told, I don’t think he likes me very much, but we got along well when we were younger...unless I stole his sister from him, that is.  And don’t talk to him about the late Princess.  It’s not the sort of conversation to have on your first meeting.”_

Will had been nearly giddy during the trip.  He had been deathly afraid and uncontrollably excited at the thought of seeing the Prince again – and not just seeing him.  He might _marry_ him.  Will had daydreamed about his first encounter with Nico, nearly driven himself mad with anxiety over their _next_ encounter, and fantasized about their maybe-marriage, imagining that he would live in the same palace as Nico, sleep in a room connected to Nico’s, see Nico every day, and talk to Nico whenever he wanted.

And then, when he finally saw Nico, he’d been amazed.

Nico was _gorgeous._ He had a stern but pretty face with strong lines and serious eyes.  His hair was dark, which was unusual for Pluto; most Plutons were pale and blond, but the royal family, having married foreign nobles, had a more diverse range of physical characteristics.  His skin was also dark for a Pluton – not as dark as his mother’s or his sister’s, but darker than his father.  The shade wasn’t far off from Will’s, but the tone was cooler, earthier, and, Will thought, much more beautiful.  Nico, unlike his tall father, was below average in height, which Will found endearing, and he had a handsome, powerful posture fitting for a prince.

“He’s amazing,” Will mused, a smile sliding on his face as he hugged his legs tightly against his chest.

“Who?” Artemis asked, peering up at him from her book.

“The Prince,” Will answered dreamily.  “I don’t understand why he hasn’t been stolen by another suitor yet.  He’s a prince, he’s _beautiful,_ he’s so clever and serious and he has the _prettiest_ smile and _gods above!_ His eyes, so dark and mystifying – I feel almost afraid when I look at them.”

“Hm,” Artemis replied.

“Do you think he would accept a marriage with me?” Will asked.

“I think that the Prince, his family, and the entire Pluton court would be very happy to have him married.”

“Yes, but to _me.”_

“I see no reason he would not.”

Will burrowed himself into his blankets.  “And these apartments, Your Divinity!” he exclaimed happily as Hestia offered him a cup of tea.  He thanked her and took a sip, sighing in appreciation as warmth ran through his body.  “We are staying in the _Privilla!”_ The Privilla had been quite famous during Will’s childhood.  Nobles used to visit Divitia and stay in the Privilla, and it was supposed to be the vacation home of the royal family.  Since losing its wealth to the Scarlet Delirium, the Pluton court lived a much less luxurious life, but the Privilla was still beautiful.  “Where do you suppose the Prince is?”

“Likely in bed, as you ought to be,” Artemis answered dryly.

“I can’t sleep now, I’m much too excited.”

“Well, _I_ can,” Artemis said, closing her book and getting to her feet.  “You should rest; after spending so much time travelling, you must need it.  Good night, nephew.”

“Good night, Your Divinity,” Will replied as Artemis left the room for her bed chambers.

After Artemis had left, Hestia said, “If there is nothing else you require, Lord William, I think I will retire as well.”

Will nodded.  “Of course.  Sleep well, Lady Hestia.”

Once alone, Will dared to step out of his chair.  He regretted the loss of warmth he had felt when curled up, but quickly went into his bedroom and sloppily removed his clothes before climbing into bed wearing his nightshirt and burrowing under the blankets.  He knew Artemis was right; he needed to rest.  His brain had other ideas, however; he was so happy and excited that he could only roll around in his bed, every now and then stifling a giggle behind his hand when he thought of some sort of fantasy that sent his heart aflutter, until the exhaustion of his body caught up with him.  

 

Will usually woke up early, and his habits persisted despite the new setting.  He dressed himself that morning, not bothering to wait for a servant to assist him – he dressed himself in Venadica every day, so he was quite used to it.  In Venadica, however, Will tended to dress more like other consors – usually in plain wool clothes.  His older brothers loved to remind Will of his complete lack of a fashion sense when he tried to dress himself in Diana, so he usually let menservants take care of dressing him in his more formal and expensive attire.  Left to dress himself that morning, he chose a pale mint-colored suit which he had been told looked nice on him, so he didn’t have to worry about choosing a bad color for his complexion or an out-of-style trend.  He did his best to tame his unruly hair with a ribbon before leaving his bedchambers to explore the estate.

Will did not know if he was welcome to wander through the Privilla unaccompanied, but once he was awake, he had a hard time staying still.  The halls were beautiful.  He passed through chambers with black marble floor tiles and cream-colored walls lined with gold.  Where the walls of the estate bordered the gardens, windows stretched from the beautiful floors to the gilded ceilings, offering Will a view of the dew-covered gardens that he had barely gotten to see the night before when they arrived at the Privilla from the main palace.  He hoped to explore them once the sun got high enough to cut through the morning fog; it was still too cold to go out, even though he was wearing a long-sleeved waistcoat.  He did want to go out, however: he could see beautiful fountains in the distance depicting the protogenoi, although Will could not tell whom from so far away.

Will had lost track of time when he heard his name.  “Lord William,” said a voice, and Will spun around to see the Prince entering the passageway, flanked by his manservant and adviser – a soror by the name of Reyna that Will had met once or twice.  There was also a large black and tan bloodhound following at his heels.

“Your Highness,” Will said, covering his shock with a low bow.  He couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d been caught doing something bad, but he wasn’t quite sure what it was.  He was allowed to walk through the estate, was he not?

The Prince continued to walk down the hall, the heels of his shoes clicking against the marble, and his face was completely void of warmth.  He looked handsome, though; his shirt was crisp and white and the clothes he wore that day were made of black satin with golden buttons and embroidery.  His hair was well-groomed, especially when compared to Will’s unruly mess, and his skin looked so clean that it made Will remember that he hadn’t washed his face that morning.

There was no way to remedy that before the Prince stopped in front of him, examining Will without a smile.  Will prepared himself to be scolded, but then Nico said, “Have you found the grounds to your liking?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Will said, releasing a relieved breath.  “The estate is beautiful, unlike anything I have seen before.”

“And have you walked outside and seen the surrounding gardens?”

“I have not had the chance, Your Highness,” Will answered.  “But I have admired them from the windows.”

The Prince nodded, still stone-faced, and turned his head to the side, looking at the large windows covering the wall.  Will was suddenly struck by the resemblance he saw between Nico and the King.  They had the same severe features, the same perpetually unsmiling expression...but Will recalled once thinking that Nico’s good humor was what set him apart from King Hades.  Will believed that Nico’s genial nature had not faded over the years; after all, had not both his aunt and Hestia attested to his kindness?

“My mother is fond of this estate,” the Prince said suddenly.  “She oversees all the palace gardens, but the Privilla has always been her favorite project.”

“The interior is magnificent, and by what I have seen, the outside is stunning,” Will answered.  He wasn’t being merely polite.  The Privilla was glamorous in every way, from the golden ceilings to the marble floors, and every finely carved piece of ebony furniture between them.

Nico looked at Will silently, and Will once again wondered if he had done something inappropriate.  Was his face really so dirty?  Or perhaps he had done something to insult the Prince?

Nico opened his mouth again without warning.  “You may join me for a walk in the gardens,” he said, and his expression remained stern.  Will got the feeling that Nico’s words were something between an order and a question, but not an invitation.  

“Yes, Your Highness,” Will answered.  “I would be honored.”  He would not refuse the Prince, even if it was relentlessly cold outside.  

Nico nodded, perhaps in approval, then he dismissed his manservant and turned to Reyna.  “You will act as a chaperone?” he asked.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Reyna answered, just as cold and composed as her employer.  Will wondered if anyone in the palace could smile.  The Prince’s emotions were impossible to interpret, the King’s face never ceased to be stern, and even the Prince’s manservant, Jules-Albert, was about as expressive as a corpse.

Turning back to Will, Nico said, “Come this way.”  He whistled to the hound and led Will to the next room, which opened to the outside.  Reyna held the doors for them, so Will bowed his head to her in thanks, but Reyna merely nodded to him and stared at him with a scrutinizing expression.  Will hoped she would grow to like him eventually; if he was to be a part of the Pluton royal family through his marriage, he would like to get along with his husband’s adviser.

“I will take you through the flower garden,” Nico announced suddenly as he stepped outside into the morning dew.  When he turned back, his eyes flickered from Will’s face to his feet.  “The ground is wet in the morning.  You may dirty your shoes, if that displeases you.”

“I do not mind at all, Your Highness.”

Nico nodded silently, but did not move towards the gardens.  “Have you had anything to eat, Lord William?  You appear to be up quite early.”

“Not yet, Your Highness,” Will replied honestly.

“Nor have I,” the Prince said.  “Lady Reyna, please send notice to the kitchens that I require a platter to be brought to the poplar grove after our walk.”

Reyna nodded and turned to find a servant to notify while Nico returned his attention to Will.  He held out his arm, which Will quickly accepted, and then led him towards the dew-covered flowers.  “Did you find your rooms satisfactory, Lord William?” Nico asked somewhat stiffly.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Will answered, fighting to keep the hand on Nico’s arm still.

“Good,” the Prince said, before inclining his head to the bloodhound following at their heels.  “This is my hound, Asterion.”

“He is a fine breed, Your Highness, and his coat is magnificent.”

Nico nodded in agreement.  “Yes.  I am fond of him.  You may find him roaming the estate; Asterion is free to go where he pleases, although he usually stays near me.  He is quite well-trained.  In any case, I have gathered that you enjoy gardens, Lord William.  Do you know much about plants?”

“Yes, Your Highness, I have spent many hours researching medicinal properties,” Will said.  “I notice you grow daffodils here; they were once used to induce vomiting so as to rid the body of unwanted disease, but we now believe them to be poisonous.”  Will didn’t realize what he was saying until it was too late, and he turned to the Prince to apologize for his unpleasant topic of conversation, but to his surprise, the Prince looked interested.

“Oh?” Nico asked.

“I admit that it is not my favorite flower,” Will dared to say.

Will might’ve seen the corner of Nico’s mouth quirk up at that, but it may have been his imagination.  “That is understandable,” Nico said.  “Although my mother enjoys them.”

“And do you?” Will found himself asking.

“I don’t especially care for daffodils,” the Prince replied.  “I prefer asphodel.  There is a whole field of asphodel in the south corner of the palace grounds around the conservatory.  The area attracts a great deal of sunlight and the fragrance is quite nice.  I enjoy spending time there in the summer.  It is near the Grove of Nyx – another one of my favorite areas – where, at night during celebrations held at the palace, plays may be performed or musical concerts may be held.  Do you enjoy theater, Lord William?”

“I do,” Will answered.  “You may call me ‘Will,’ if you like,” he added without thinking.  When Nico looked at him in confusion, Will realized how horribly inappropriate his suggestion was.  It had been one thing when they were children, but now that they had grown?  “I...when we met in Venadica, you asked if you could.  I thought to tell you, should you prefer, that you still have my permission to call me ‘Will.’”

Nico examined Will curiously.  “I think I will call you ‘Lord William’ for now,” he said.

“Of course,” Will replied, trying not to feel too disappointed.  He had thought that Nico was beginning to warm up to him, but apparently, he had been too forward.  He wanted to take back his words and try conversing with Nico again, but the Prince looked ahead with a serious expression, seemingly unwilling to have any further discussion.  Deciding it was best not to push, Will stayed silent until Nico led him to the poplar grove, where a platter of bread and cold cuts had been set out for them to eat.  Asterion sat beside their table, quietly waiting for his master, and Will caught sight of Reyna standing a respectable distance away from him and the Prince – close enough to monitor them but far enough away to allow them privacy.

They ate quietly, as Nico still seemed resistant to conversation.  Will wondered what he could say to erase any offense or discomfort he had caused the Prince.  He had been too excited about talking to Nico to think rationally, which had led him to act impulsively.  Although he may become Nico’s fiancé, Nico was still a prince.  There was a respectable distance that Will had to maintain.

When Nico appeared to have finished eating, Will took that as a signal to mean that he should stop, as well.  He waited for a moment, wondering if Nico would say anything, but Nico merely examined the green and white leaves of the poplar trees with detached interest, so he cleared his throat.  “If it is not out of place for me to suggest, I wondered if you might join me for a game of Acies?”

Nico turned and blinked at him without changing expressions.  “Acies?” he asked.

“Yes, Your Highness.  At our first meeting, nearly ten years ago, you asked me if I knew how to play.  I did not then, but I have learned since.  I know that it has been a very long time, but I thought that if you were still interested, you and I could play a game now.”

“I see,” said the Prince.  He did not answer for a moment, seemingly considering Will’s proposal, and then he said, “Very well.  I suppose one game would be acceptable.”

The game did not go as Will planned.

“I thought you had learned to play?” Nico said, frowning at Will across the board, which was covered in the black marble tokens of Nico’s Acies set.

“I had thought so, as well,” Will admitted, frowning at the pile of his borrowed wooden figurines that Nico had collected as the game had gone on.  He’d suffered an embarrassingly quick loss; a game ought to not last less than two hours, but this one had gone on for barely a half hour.  “It seems that I was unprepared.”

The Prince cocked his head to the side, folding his arms and considering Will with a disappointed expression.  “I thought you were a consor.”

“I am, Your Highness.”

“Are consors not trained to play such games?  There are many Acies sets in the Sororal Palace.”

“Of course I learned,” Will said, growing mildly irritated.  “But I’m a student of science, Your Highness, not of games and battle.  I would be better at healing soldiers than pretending to be one.”

The Prince raised an eyebrow and Will clamped his jaw shut, realizing the indignant tone he’d been speaking in.

“My apologies, Your Highness,” he said with a bow of his head, hoping that he hadn’t offended Nico.

Nico said nothing, but when Will looked up he was surprised to see that the corners of Nico’s lips were turned up in amusement.  “You are truly terrible,” the Prince said.  “All that talk of having learned to play so that you might fulfill a childhood fancy, and you were overwhelmed in minutes.”

“You have several years of practice over me, Your Highness!” Will huffed, his irritation quickly returning.

“You say very pretty words, but I am sad to say that in this case, you did not deliver on them.  I am most displeased with you.”

“Very well, then, Your Highness,” Will said, squashing his giddiness at Nico’s statement about his ‘pretty words.’  “I offer my humble apologies for being a disappointment and disgracing you with my sorry lack of skill.  I shan’t bother you again with my devastating ineptitudes.”  He slumped back in his seat quite impolitely, crossing his arms and sulking like he hadn’t grown at all since he’d first met the Prince.

Nico slipped a hand over his mouth and his shoulders quivered with what must have been a silent snicker.  Will stared in disbelief, and then Nico’s snicker evolved into a full laugh – a loud howl of laughter that had the Prince’s body shaking until he gripped at his sides and snorted.  His laughter didn’t suit him; it was too undisciplined, too modest, too coarse, and not at all handsome or princely.  Yet, it was so merry that Will felt light and he couldn’t resist laughing, too.

“I shouldn’t taunt,” Nico said once he managed to stop laughing.  He leaned back in his seat comfortably and smiled at Will like he was still enjoying a joke.  Will got the feeling that he was still being laughed at, though not maliciously.  “My apologies for teasing.  You were not terrible, Lord William.”

Will offered a meek smile.  “That’s polite of you to say.”

Nico’s eyes glinted.  “It is, isn’t it?  Very generous of me.”  Will couldn’t hold back a scoff, but Nico still looked amused rather than insulted.  “Well, then, Lord William, seeing as this game was quite unproductive for the both of us, what would you say to joining me in the range to shoot?”

“Shoot?” Will repeated skeptically.

“A rifle, of course,” Nico answered.

Will blanched.  “A _rifle?”_

Nico grinned slyly.  “Or don’t you know how?”

His pride already annihilated, Will sighed and admitted, “I’m a terrible shot, Your Highness.  Quite possibly the worst.  I can’t shoot a rifle or a musket or an arrow – I’ll miss the target by miles.”

“A pity,” Nico said.  “I was thinking of taking you on our next hunting trip.”

“Oh, but I am a good navigator,” Will said hopefully.  “And excellent on horseback, if that was how you meant to travel.”

“Very good,” Nico said in approval, looking at Will with a devious smile that gave Will the feeling that he’d walked straight into Nico’s trap.  “Then we will plan for a hunt tomorrow morning.  The Matestra is invited, of course, along with other members of your party, and my father and Reyna will join us, as well.  I hope to be impressed by your equestrian and navigation skills.”

“I...of course, Your Highness,” Will said, his throat dry.  He got the feeling that he was being challenged, but he wasn’t quite sure what his trial was.  He did not think that he was merely being tested on navigation and riding.


	5. Chapter 5

“Have you found his Lordship agreeable, Your Highness?” Reyna asked as Nico’s horse was outfitted.  Nico could hear the hesitation wavering in her voice, as though she feared to hear yet another monologue about the dreadful meetings that Nico had engaged in with his latest repulsive and insufficient suitor.

“I do not find him intolerable,” Nico answered.  “He is...interesting.”

Reyna made a sound of relief.  “Then have you enjoyed yourself, Your Highness?”

Nico opened his mouth to say that he at least hadn’t felt like grabbing his rifle and going out to practice shooting, but he stopped and forced himself to consider the question seriously.  “Perhaps I have,” he replied, taking the reins of his horse from the groom.  “We shall see.”

“I am glad, Your Highness,” Reyna said.  “You deserve a pleasant suitor.”

Nico did not reply.  He left the stables to find Artemis and his father leading their horses while William stood next to the horse he had been given, quietly whispering to her as he stroked her neck.  She was a well-tempered horse, Nico noted with approval; Will should not have trouble with her.

Will turned to see Reyna and Nico leaving the stables and smiled in greeting, so Nico approached him and wished him a good morning as the dogs were brought out.  Nico pointed to his father’s blood hound, Cerberus, and introduced him to Will.  “He’s actually the second Cerberus,” Nico said.  “The first one died a few years ago and I suppose my father was fond of the name.”

“And aren’t you taking Asterion?” Will asked.

“Asterion does not hunt,” Nico replied.  “He merely keeps me company.  In any case, the two greyhounds at the front belong to Lady Reyna—Aurum and Argentum.  They were gifted to her when she came into my service.”

“Very fine breeds, Your Highness,” Will complimented, and Nico nodded in satisfaction.  They bred dogs quite well at the palace, something Nico took great pride in.

The hunt-master lead the party on horseback for a part of their travel, but they abandoned their mounts when they neared the haunt.  Horses, while useful when hunting foxes, would startle fowl.

The hunt started well.  It did not end that way.

Nico was proud to say that he was a skilled hunter.  He’d brought his smooth-bore musket, which was not as accurate as his rifle, but his rifle could not fire bird-shot and would ruin the meat of the fowl.  Nico was a good shot; it was one of the few things about him that his father approved of.  He was counting on using that skill to perhaps impress his latest suitor; after all, he had little else to woo him with.

Unfortunately, that plan was foiled by none other than Lord William himself.

It was true that William was good on horseback; Nico had noticed that he handled his mare well.  He was also a good navigator by his use of the sun’s position, and recalled exactly where they had left the horses.  However, William was a dreadful hunter.

It wasn’t his lack of skill with a gun that made him so terrible, although that only served to make him worse.  It was his clumsy walk, the noise of his breath, and his complete inability to move with stealth.  Artemis eyed her nephew in embarrassment while Hestia merely sighed and Thalia appeared to be holding back laughter.  Reyna and Nico’s father remained silent, casting William annoyed but resigned glances.  The hunt-master appeared quite irate, but held his lecture until they left the haunt with one measly pheasant, at which point he wasted no time chastising Lord William for sabotaging the hunt.

William looked quite discouraged when he went to mount his horse, which made Nico wonder if he had done the right thing to invite Will hunting.  Thinking that he should somehow make amends, Nico found his feet carrying him in Will’s direction.  “Well, you did warn me,” Nico said without intending any malice, but Will deflated even more.  Nico mentally cursed himself; it was that kind of mouth that made his other attempts to find a husband end in failure.  He wasn’t always certain where to draw the line with his teasing.  “You have other skills, Lord William,” he went on, quite unfamiliar with how comfort someone.  “Asterion is a fine hound, but he cannot hunt.  I still find him quite valuable.”

If William took offense at being compared to a dog, he did not show it.  He merely gave Nico a small, appreciative smile that made Nico feel glad he’d spoken up.  “If you would, join me in the drawing room by the green library this evening following supper,” Nico found himself saying.  He’d spent a few hours in that room every evening, reading by the fire, before he retired to bed.  He hadn’t planned to invite Will.  He wasn’t sure why he’d suddenly decided to ask Will to join him, but he did not regret it.

William looked surprised, but said, “Of course, Your Highness, it would be my pleasure.”  Nico tried to smile in a friendly manner before he walked away to mount his own horse.

As a result of the failure of their hunting trip, they did not dine on pheasant that evening.  The meal was successful nonetheless, and Nico withdrew to the drawing room with Asterion following behind after they finished.  The walls were papered with a calming shade of burgundy, the ceiling was not terribly high, and the room was rather small.  All of that, with the addition of the fireplace, made the room feel calm and warm, and allowed him to relax before turning in for the night.

William appeared at the door a little while later, and Nico found himself smiling without having to put much effort behind it.  “Good evening, Lord William,” he greeted, gesturing to the other seat in front of the fire.  

“Good evening, Your Highness,” William replied, taking his seat.  Nico thought he looked tense.  Perhaps he was still thinking about the hunting failure.  Perhaps he was tense because Nico made him uncomfortable.  Nico did not think the latter option was very likely, however; it seemed more probable that William was concerned about what had occurred earlier that day.

He noticed Will looking at Asterion, so he said, “Do you like dogs, Lord William?”

William looked up in surprise.  “Oh, yes.  I have been a healer for many dogs before,” Will said, then he gestured to Nico’s bloodhound.  “Would you mind if I...?”

Nico gestured to Asterion vaguely.  “Of course.  But he is quite a cautious dog, so approach carefully.”

William stood up and approached Asterion with an outstretched hand, which Asterion sniffed before granting Will permission to touch him.  Asterion had gotten much more relaxed over time, something Nico was glad to see.  “He appears to get plenty of exercise,” Will said as he stroked the dog’s side.

“He interacts with the other hounds, of course,” Nico said.  “They keep him active.”

“That is good.  Although I must say that it’s a pity Asterion does not hunt,” Will commented as he lifted the hound’s jowls to examine his teeth.  “He is quite healthy, and obviously well-bred.”

“Yes,” Nico agreed.  He patted Asterion’s head comfortingly when he noticed his dog growing agitated.  Asterion was not fond of strangers, but he was fiercely loyal to Nico.

“Why wasn’t he trained?” Will asked.

Nico stared at Will and the dog in thoughtful silence for a while before he opened his mouth and gave Will the honest answer.  “Asterion cannot handle the stress.  I think it may be the noise, the commotion, the shouts, and quite possibly the flash of a firing gun.  He had a cruel first owner.”

Will glanced up at Nico, wearing a surprised expression that slowly turned cold.  “I see,” he said.  “I have seen too many animals brought to Venadica because of damage done by cruel owners, Your Highness.  You did quite a service to save him.”

“Save him?” Nico asked, having never thought of it that way before.  He did not like to think about Asterion’s first owner.  “I suppose.”

“It was heroic of you.”

“Not so,” Nico disagreed, keeping his tone cool and even to hide the passion of his anger.  “There is nothing heroic about it—only a monster would have let him be treated that way.”

“I think it was kind,” Will insisted.  “And brave.”

Nico’s eyes drifted away, finding Will’s too pure to bear.  “You were not there.”

“No.  And yet, I am sure.”

Nico did not say anything that time, having grown tired of arguing, especially over that topic.  Will continued to stroke Asterion’s dark coat.  “I am fond of dogs,” Will said.  “I like most animals, really.  My father has a ranch on his land.  He keeps cattle—beautiful cows with fine red coats.  He has hired workers to care for them and he trades the dairy at the market in Phoebus.  I’d guess he feeds half the city off of his cattle.”

“It sounds like a fine investment,” Nico said.

“Yes,” Will agreed.  Asterion, growing used to William, lay down on the rugs covering the marble floors and Will sat on the ground like a child beside him to continue to pet him.  Nico was glad to see Asterion feel comfortable; he was a friendly dog, but could become upset easily.  He had to be handled with great care and gentleness, something Will seemed all too willing to give.

“Tomorrow will be your last full day in Divitia,” Nico remarked.  “And you will leave the next morning.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” William confirmed.

Nico tapped the arm of his chair in thought for a moment, then he abandoned his doubts and said, “I would like to take you back to the Palatium de Divitae and show you the conservatory tomorrow.  I think you will enjoy that.”

“Yes, Your Highness, I would like that very much.”

“We grow trees and summer-fruit that usually only grow in the south,” Nico said.  “If you would like, we could take our meal there.”

“I would, Your Highness.”

“Good,” Nico said, continuing to tap the arm of his chair as he looked at the fire.  He realized with surprise that he did not want William to leave.  True, William had only been there for two and a half days, but Nico was growing used to his company.  He wouldn’t mind Will staying there longer.  In fact, he wouldn’t mind if Will came to stay forever.

 _He would make a fine husband,_ Nico thought, glancing at William as discreetly as he could.  William was wealthy and kind and, as of yet, he did not hate Nico.  He was a consor, which could prove valuable; Prince Percy of Neptune was engaged to marry a consor, as well.  Perhaps Nico would even be able to be friends with William, given time—and, if they married, there would be plenty of time for that.

Nico nodded to himself.  In the morning, he would talk to Reyna and his father and notify them that he would marry Lord William.


	6. Chapter 6

It was early the next morning after they had eaten when Nico took Will back to the Palatium de Divitae.  Nico decided to ride there on horseback rather than take a carriage, in part because he liked being outside, but also because that way he could easily slow down and point out things to Will while they were riding, like the lake where he sometimes hunted waterfowl or a hill in the distance where Persephone kept a vineyard.  Jules-Albert stayed nearby in case Nico required his service and Reyna accompanied them as a chaperone, but she said little.  Asterion went with them, as well, having apparently invited himself along.  Asterion tended to follow Nico wherever he went; Nico liked to think that he made Asterion feel safe, and he was glad for the dog’s company.

They took their time traveling to the Palatium de Divitae, so it was already past noon when they arrived.  Nico requested a lunch be prepared for them while he took Will to the conservatory.  Will offered his arm, which Nico accepted, and then Nico led Will through the lines of trees inside the glass building with Asterion following silently behind them.  “My mother enjoys fruit quite a lot, particularly ones that only grow much farther south,” Nico said.  “The conservatory was a wedding gift from my father so that she could have those fruits grown here.”

William nodded with interest.  Queen Persephone was the daughter of the Duchess of Ceres, which bordered Diana in the Juvian Empire.  Many of the fruits they grew came from Ceres.

“We grow oranges, of course,” Nico said.  “We will try to grow pineapple next season, and we have tried bananas, but my father despised the taste.  However, we are most known for our pomegranates.”

“I have heard of your conservatory, Your Highness,” Will said.  “The Queen’s gardens are quite famous.”

“And she is very proud of that,” Nico answered.  His mother took a great interest in the gardens, to the point of sometimes attending to them herself.  Her hands were not soft like other court ladies.  Nico liked that.  Lady Maria, Nico’s birth mother and childhood governess, had also had rough hands.

“If you would permit me to make a confession, Your Highness,” Will added.  Nico was apprehensive, but nodded.  Will lowered his voice to a whisper, as though he was confiding a great secret, and said, “I have never eaten a pomegranate.”

Nico tried to suppress a smile before he laughed, his fingers tightening on Will’s arm.  “Then we must remedy that,” he said.  “Come, our lunch should be ready by now.  I am sure that we will be served a bowl of seeds.”

Nico guided Will out of the conservatory and across the field of white asphodel towards a pavilion where their lunch would be served.  Nico liked the asphodel.  He went to the field to escape if the palace became too stuffy or he wanted to hide from the world; he felt a special connection to that place.  The flowers had been planted in honor of Bianca.  Nico had not been there when the field was planted, but when he finally returned to the palace after his long years in the countryside, it was the place that he ran to hide when his mind held too many dark thoughts to bear alone.  He would pretend that Bianca was there with him.

In the pavilion, there was a table prepared for them with a platter of small sandwiches and, as Nico had predicted, a bowl of pomegranate seeds.  Jules-Albert served their plates before stepping back, and Reyna was near enough to watch without being close enough to distract them.  Asterion lay down beside Nico’s seat, quietly waiting for his master.

“I thought I would show you around the Palatium de Divitae after we finish,” Nico said before he picked up a sandwich.

“Yes, I would like that,” Will replied.  Nico watched with interest as Will quickly spooned some of the red seeds into his mouth.

“Well?” Nico asked expectantly.

“Very good, Your Highness,” Will said.  “Tart, but not unbearably so, and they have a touch of sweetness to balance it.”

“Excellent,” Nico said with a nod.  “Pomegranates are among my favorite foods.  I am glad you enjoy the fruit from our conservatory.”  If Will was going to live with Nico in the Palatium de Divitae, Nico wanted him to be as comfortable as possible.  But then, perhaps Will would spend a great deal of his time in Venadica when they married.  Either way, Nico did not want Will to dread living near Nico too much.

When they finished the meal, Nico led Will inside the palace, Asterion following behind them, and gave him a brief tour: he showed Will the Hall of Gold (which Will had already seen), the opera house, the drawing rooms and studios of the King and Queen, and Nico’s collection of rooms (which attached to Hazel’s).  He heard Hazel in her music room, so he brought Will to investigate.  Hazel was playing on the piano with her tutor, and old woman with a sharp face named Alecto, standing close by, but she turned when Nico walked in.

“Brother!” she said happily.  “I thought you would be in the Privilla?”

Nico thought Alecto looked a bit irritated by the interruption of her lesson, but she bowed to Nico and greeted him politely.

“I thought I might show Lord William around the palace,” Nico replied.  “I brought him here to take him through the conservatory.”

“Good afternoon, Lord William,” Hazel greeted belatedly, rising from her bench and lowering her head respectfully.  “I’m glad to see that my brother hasn’t sent you home yet.”

Nico’s face burned in embarrassment.  He pursed his lips and glared, and then he saw Alecto raise her hand to her mouth as she gave a fake cough to conceal a short laugh.  At least William had the decency to blush, as well.

“Your Highness,” Alecto said to the Princess, as if she sensed the tightly wound cords of Nico’s patience about to snap.  “If you would return to the lesson, please.  Would you like to play the Allegro we reviewed earlier for His Highness and Lord William?”

“Oh, of course,” Hazel said, sitting back on her bench.  She straightened her skirts and shuffled her music sheets until she found the right page, and then she began to play a brisk, lively piece.

His embarrassment cooling, Nico turned to Will and whispered, “My sister is quite talented with the piano and with her paints.  She is but eight years of age.”

“That is most impressive, Your Highness,” Will replied.  “My tutor tried to teach me to play music at a young age, but I’m sorry to say I have no talent for it, although my brothers and sister are quite skilled.  Do you play, Your Highness?”

“Yes,” Nico answered.  “Although I suspect Hazel will become much more skilled than I am.  I presume that you dance, Lord William?”

Will smiled and ducked his head the way he had so many times before, which Nico thought meant that he was embarrassed or shy.  “You taught me to dance, Your Highness,” Will said, a smile playing at his lips.  “At my aunt’s inauguration, you asked me to dance, and I fear my nerves caused me to forget everything I knew.”

“Oh?” Nico asked.  He did not remember that happening.  “What did we dance?”

“It was a country dance, Your Highness.  Although, I’m afraid that you abandoned me afterwards in favor of your sister and I was left alone very suddenly.”

It took Nico a moment longer than it should have to realize that the sister Will had referred to was Bianca, not Hazel, and he had a sudden memory of dancing with her that night.  Bianca had promised him a dance, but Thalia, Percy, and Jason had kept stealing her away from him, so Nico ended up having to grab her arm quickly after a dance to get her attention.  He remembered a flash of messy blond hair, and then a boy approaching him after the dance with Bianca ended, and Nico recalled asking that boy to dance again....

“But then I asked you for another one, did I not?” Nico said.

Will looked delighted.  He smiled at Nico widely and said, “You remember, Your Highness?”

“Yes,” Nico answered.  “The memory is faint, but I recall that much.”

“You are correct.  We danced one more time before I retired to bed.  At the end of the night, you had me promise to learn minuets so that we could dance one the next time we met.  I did not know when that would be, so I made sure to learn it as soon as I was back in Diana.”

“As you learned Acies?”

Will ducked his head with an embarrassed blush.  “I like to believe that I am a bit more successful at the minuet than at Acies, Your Highness.”

“Well, now you must show me,” Nico said, offering Will his hand.  “Hazel, would you play us a minuet?” he asked.

Will’s expression was blank when he took Nico’s hand, like he hadn’t expected the offer and didn’t quite know what to make of it.

“Unless you would rather not,” Nico added.  

“No, Your Highness, I am honored,” Will said.  He turned his eyes downward, once again adopting the bashful expression he made so often.

Nico looked over to see Hazel watching with a wide grin.  “Hazel, the minuet,” he reminded.  She turned back to the piano quickly, taking the sheets of music that Alecto offered her, and then she spread out the sheets to read before she started to play.

Nico brought Will to the center of the room and they bowed to each other before beginning to dance.  Will still looked down shyly rather than into Nico’s eyes when they stepped forward to meet each other’s hands, but his footwork, Nico noted, was not terrible.  In fact, it was quite good.

“You’ve gotten better,” Nico remarked.

“You remember that as well?” William asked, raising his eyes to meet Nico’s with an embarrassed smile.

“You were quite bad,” Nico answered.  He tried not to laugh, but was unable to suppress a chuckle.

Will blushed as he and Nico stepped around each other, their hands meeting in between them.  “But, as I said, I think I was more successful with learning to dance than I was at learning to play Acies, Your Highness.”

“That is true,” Nico answered.  “You dance quite well.”

Will lowered his eyes again.  “Thank you, Your Highness.  For a long time, I practiced very hard in the hopes I might impress you if we ever danced again.”

Nico felt himself blush and he nearly missed a step.  “You should not tease, Lord William.”

“I do not, Your Highness, nor do I speak to flatter.”

When William looked back up and met Nico’s eyes, Nico felt his heart flutter for a moment.  Will meant it, he realized.  He’d learned to dance for Nico.  “But I am flattered,” he said honestly.

“Then I shall remind you as often as you like.”

The minuet came to a close before Nico could think of how to respond, and they ended the dance with a bow to each other.  What would it be like to marry Will?  Would he say things like that to Nico every day?  Could Nico really be so fortunate as to have a husband who thought so highly of him?

He was shaken from his thoughts when he realized that Hazel was about to say something embarrassing again, judging by the glee on her face as she watched them.  Even Alecto, whose face was always stern, looked surprised.

“Thank you, Hazel, that was lovely.  We’ll be on our way now.”  He urgently offered Will his arm and hurried him away from his younger sister, lest she say something to cause him further mortification.

“Supper,” he said suddenly, desperate to change the topic.  “Supper will be held soon.  Would you like to take our meal in the gardens again?”  He was not eager to eat with Persephone and Hazel; perhaps Persephone was less likely to embarrass Nico, but not by much.

“Of course, Your Highness,” Will replied.  “Whatever pleases you most.”

Nico notified Reyna, who took care of his request, and then Nico led Will outside again while they waited for supper.  Will seemed to like being outside, so Nico thought it would be good to bring him there more.  For a while, as the sky became orange, they sat side-by-side on a bench in the Queen’s Garden, and Nico listened as Will told him about Diana, about his family, and about Venadica.  Asterion had followed them and Will petted and scratched the dog, occasionally speaking to him in a sweet, quiet voice, and Asterion rested his head on Will’s knee.  Asterion approved of Will, it seemed.

Nico chuckled at the thought, and Will looked up at him questioningly.  “Your Highness?” he asked.

“It is nothing,” Nico answered.  “Only I am glad that you like him.  He likes you, too.”

They ate in the pavilion again, this time dining by gaslight as the sky grew dark, overlooking the grounds lit only by the warm glow of lanterns in the distance.  They looked like stars, Will told him—stars that were close enough to touch.

Nico knew that it was late and he ought to return to the Privilla with Will, but when the meal finished, he found himself saying, “There is another place I would like to take you, if you wouldn’t mind staying out with me a little while longer.”

“I wouldn’t mind at all,” Will answered.  “I’d like that very much, Your Highness.”

“Come this way,” Nico said, rising to his feet.  He whistled for Asterion to follow—although Asterion probably would have done so anyway.  He led Will into the palace and up the grand staircase, and after another flight of stairs, Nico brought them to the Hall of Ouranos.

He heard Will gasp beside him when they entered and Nico felt himself swell with pride at the reaction.  The Hall of Ouranos was, in Nico’s opinion, the grandest room in the Palatium de Divitae.  Nico also thought it was most beautiful at night.

The hall itself held few pieces of furniture and very little decor.  It had the same black marble floors and gold-trimmed walls as the rest of the palace.  What made it so amazing was its domed, windowed ceiling that showed a clear view of the sky above them.  The sky was dark, deep blue, with a sliver of purple and gold in the distance as the sun disappeared beneath the horizon.  Nyx had started to dot the sky with stars, filling it with specks of light in her daughter’s absence.  Nico sometimes slipped into that hall with Asterion at night when he was unable to sleep, and he’d look at the sky with the dog lying beside him until his mind finally started to calm.

The hall was unlit, as it was hardly used anymore, and it tended to be cold because the glass ceiling and the large size made the room difficult to heat.  Nico remembered the days when the room would be full of people in beautiful clothes dancing to music or chatting with a glass of Persephone’s wine in their hand.  Such fêtes were uncommon after the disease, and although the room was regularly cleaned, there was a sad, forgotten element to it.  Sometimes, Nico felt like he could hear the ghosts of laughter and the echoes of clinking wine glasses.  

“It’s unbelievable,” Will said, his voice soft with awe.

“This is one of my favorite rooms,” Nico said.  “My sister comes here some days to paint; she likes the lighting.  Of course she has a drawing room in her chambers where she paints, as well, but on occasion, she escapes up here.”

“And you, Your Highness?” Will asked.  “Why do you come here?”

Nico stared at the dark sky quietly while he thought of how to answer.  It was, in part, because he thought the room was beautiful, especially at night, and he loved to look up and see the snow or rain falling from the sky during storms.  He recalled sneaking up to the room with Bianca, and they would dance or play at having fights with wooden swords.  More than once, Nico and Bianca had fallen asleep up there only to be awoken by the rising sun, then they would hurry back to their shared apartment and hide in their private bedchambers, hoping that no one had noticed their absence.

“I have fond memories here,” Nico finally said, reaching down to pat Asterion when the dog approached him.  “And I think it is beautiful.  Don’t you?”

“Yes, indeed, Your Highness,” Will replied.  “Thank you for bringing me here.”

Why had Nico brought him there?  Nico silently mulled over that question while watching Will circle the hall, looking at the glass ceiling in awe.  Had he wanted to entertain Will?  To impress him?  Maybe he’d just wanted to share this room with him.  Maybe he’d only wanted a friend.

“Lord William?” Nico said, and Will looked up from the dark marble floor where he’d been examining the starlight reflecting off its shining surface.

“Your Highness?”

“Am I still permitted to call you Will?”

Will’s expression brightened.  “Yes, Your Highness.  You are welcome to call me whatever pleases you most.”

“And tell me, Will, when do you plan to return to Pluto?”

“I travel to Venadica every summer for my schooling,” Will answered.  “Over winter, I continue my studies on my own in Diana.  If it pleases you, I am able to alter my plans.”

Nico nodded slowly.  “When you are in Diana, may I write to you?”

“Nothing would bring me more joy, Your Highness,” Will said, and Nico could almost believe that he meant it.

Nico examined Will curiously.  He could see nothing in his expression or posture to suggest that he was teasing or flattering Nico.  Will looked genuinely happy.  Nico did not quite understand why, but decided against questioning it.  For the time being, Nico would gladly accept his good fortune.

“I would like to continue to meet you, Will,” Nico said, attempting to sound confident and composed.  His voice did not waver when he spoke, for which he was glad; it seemed that his tiresome voice and speech lessons had paid off.  “I believe that a marriage between us could work well.”

“I am honored,” Will said.  “And I would like that very much.”

“My father will begin preparations to formalize the betrothal once we receive approval from you and your family.  You will see to it that the Duke of Diana will be in contact?”

“Yes, Your Highness.  I will speak to him immediately upon my return home.”

Nico tried for a smile.  Will returned it with one of his own bashful smiles, as though he really was happy to receive Nico’s attention.  And maybe it was true.  It would be a couple years before they were old enough to marry, but Nico felt relieved to know that after all his family’s searching, they had finally found him a husband.

“We should return to the Privilla,” Nico said.  “I fear Lady Reyna will have my head if we stay out longer.”

He led Will back down the stairs and found Reyna waiting for them.  She did nothing more than raise an eyebrow, having enough tact to wait until later to lecture Nico.  The ride back to the Privilla, Nico couldn’t help glancing at Will a few times.  When Will glanced back, Nico found himself glad for the darkness because his face grew hot at Will’s smile.

The next morning, when Nico and his family saw Will and Artemis’ party off, Nico found himself at a loss for words.  He wasn’t quite sure how to say goodbye, nor how to express his regret that Will had to leave.

“I...I will write to you,” he finally said.  “I expect I’ll hear word from your family soon?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Will answered.

“And you will write to notify me of your safe return home?”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Nico cleared his throat.  “Then...I suppose I will wait to hear from you.”

“I will write to you every week, if that is what you desire.”

“It is,” Nico admitted before he could say differently.  “Well, then, I...I wish you safe and fast travels.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Nico wet his lips nervously.  “Farewell, Lord William,” he said, adopting a more appropriate address for his suitor in front of so many people.  “I hope it will not be long before we meet again.”

“I, as well,” Will answered.  “Farewell, Your Highness.”

Nico held out his hand and Will bent to kiss it.  When he straightened his posture, he offered Nico one final smile, and then he followed his aunt into the carriage.

Standing alone on the steps of the palace, Nico flexed his fingers while he watched them fade into the distance.  He could still feel the heat of Will’s lips on the back of his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And voila! They have met and are getting engaged. The next fic in the series will probably take me a few weeks/months, depending on how busy I am. Thank you so much for all the wonderful feedback I've been getting!


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